Chapter 14

As he expected, the classroom was empty. The office door, however, was opened. Maybe, Remus was up and about. Teddy climbed the steps to the office and entered. The room was empty of any person. Teddy walked over to the desk and, just as he set the gift down, a door off to the side that Teddy hadn't noticed before opened. He jumped and spun around. "Uncle Harry! You scared me!" His godfather laughed. Teddy eyed him. "What were you doing? Where's Uncle Nev…Frank?" He quickly corrected.

"Frank left. He says Marry Christmas and goodbye." Harry stood in the doorway, not moving from his spot. "I was visiting Remus." He eyed him back. "What were you doing, Teddy?"

Teddy waved his hand towards the gift on the desk. "I…I was just dropping that off."

Harry stared at him. His stare made Teddy feeling a bit uncomfortable and he shifted his feet. "Does Remus know that you know he's a werewolf?" He asked. Teddy nodded. Harry moved away from the doorway. "Why don't you take that gift to him then? I think he'll enjoy your company for awhile."

Teddy's eyes lit up. "Really?" He grinned. Christmas day with his father was better than any gift he could possible get. His godfather nodded with a soft smile. Teddy quickly took the gift and entered what appeared to be his father's personal quarters. A couch in front of a fireplace, few pictures on the mantle, and a bookshelf filled with books. There were very few personal items around, almost like Remus wanted to settle down here, but knew he might not be staying for long. A year, maybe less, if his secret was let out too soon.

"Through there." Harry said gently, pointing to a door off to the side. "I'll leave you for now. Enjoy yourself, Teddy."

Teddy grinned at him. "Thanks, Uncle Harry." His godfather smiled at him, completely understanding him, before leaving. Teddy was extremely grateful to have some like his godfather to understand him so well.

He held on to the present and approached the door. He had no idea why he was so nervous, his heart pounding and his hands shaky. Maybe it was because he was worried his father wouldn't like the gift. Or because this was going to be his first…and only Christmas with his father. Teddy paused at the door when this thought hit him. Instead of knocking on the door, he leaned against it and slid to the ground. His heart felt heavy realizing this would be the only time he would have Christmas with his father. He needed to get his emotions under control before entering the room. He didn't know what Remus would think of him if he broke down in front of him. He needed to calm his emotions. He sighed, trying not to cry. He turned his head to glance at the door. What was the point? They weren't staying. He couldn't save him. He couldn't even tell him he was his son! Why get to know him?

Teddy stood up with a heavy heart, taking the gift with him. He would just leave it on Remus' desk. With his head down, shamefully, he dragged his feet towards the door to Remus' office, planning on placing the gift on his desk and leaving. However, as he passed the doorway, he rammed into somebody coming through from the office. "Woof!" was the sound Teddy made when his air was forced from his chest on impact.

"Oh, I'm sorry, my dear boy. Just visiting your professor, were you?"

Teddy glanced up and saw Professor Dumbledore's twinkling blue eyes staring down at him with a grin. Teddy took a step back, putting some comfortable distance between them. He once again noticed just how tall the odd Headmaster was. He towered over him like a mountain over a hill. He nodded. "I was…was just going to leave the gift on…on his desk." He said, nervously, glancing at the desk around the Headmaster's towering form.

"Why would you leave it there? I'm sure Remus would love a visit from one of his favorite students…not that professors have favorites, of course." He said with a wink.

Favorite? Was Teddy one of his favorite students? The inside of his bosom seemed to warm up and Teddy fought back a grin. He then mentally shook his head and frowned. Was that all he was to his father; a student? Teddy decided that was the case. What other type of relationship could they have? Teddy shifted his feet nervously. "He's…he's not feeling well, sir. I don't want to…to disturb him." He lied.

"Ah, you wouldn't be disturbing him, I'm sure. This is a time where one shouldn't be alone, ill or healthy." Professor Dumbledore pointed out.

Teddy shook his head. "It's for the best, sir." He murmured.

The professor stared at him for a moment with a long searching look. "You know what I was thinking about on the way here, Teddy?"

"Ah, no…?" Teddy gave the Headmaster a confused look, wondering how he was able to jump from one topic to a completely different topic so quickly and abruptly.

"I was thinking of an old friend of mine who passed recently."

"I'm sorry to hear that, sir." Teddy said, even more confused. His friend dying had nothing to do with seeing Remus or leaving a gift.

Professor Dumbledore nodded sadly in agreement. "It was a sorry event. My friend died alone. He never fell in love, never knew love. He never met his mother. She had left when he was but an infant. When he grew older, he found her, but never went to see her. She was dying of a cancer in some sort of nursing home. She was a muggle, you see. He didn't see the point of getting to know her if she was already dying. On his deathbed, he told me he wished he did go to see her and get to know her. That way, he could carry the memories with him in death, happy memories that never happened and tell others what kind of a mother he could have had. A very pitiful man. It got me thinking about that saying and how true it was. 'It's better to have loved and lost then to never have loved at all'. Don't you agree, Teddy?"

Teddy wasn't listening. He, instead, was thinking about what friend of the Headmaster. That was what he felt with Remus. What was the point of knowing him when Teddy was leaving? But it would be wonderful to know him and hold on to the memories. It would be nice to personally know what kind of man his father was.

Teddy felt a hand on his shoulders. "Let's see how Remus is doing, shall we?" The Headmaster said with a knowing look in his eye. Professor Dumbledore knew. Teddy just knew he knew. How, was still the question. Did Uncle Harry know that Professor Dumbledore knew something was up? What exactly did the famous Headmaster know…or think he knew?

The Headmaster led the way back to Remus's bedroom quarters. Teddy remained two steps behind him, nervous. He clenched the present to his chest. Professor Dumbledore opened the door without knocking. "Good afternoon, Remus! How have you been?" He asked. He was barely in the room and his body hid Teddy from view.

"As fine as I could be at the moment, Albus." Remus' voice was hoarse from the night before and a bit raspy.

"I see. Well, I just dropped in to see how you were doing and to wish you a very Merry Christmas." Teddy could just hear the grin coming from the Headmaster. "And you'll never guess who I bumped into when I was waltzing into your personal quarters!" Professor Dumbledore moved out of the way and Teddy was now in view.

Remus sat up in bed, his back resting lightly on the pile of pillows behind him. "Teddy!" He said with a pleased grin. Teddy, however, missed the older man's eyes lightening up at the sight of him. Professor Dumbledore, though, gave them both a knowing look before excusing himself from the room.

Teddy did notice how tired the man looked. Once again he was slightly surprise at how exhausted Remus looked and how sick. There were bags under his eyes from the lack of sleep, a bandage across his head that made the injury look a lot worse than it might have been, and the unnatural paleness of his skin made him look almost like death. He gave him a tight smile. "Hi, sir. I just…" He fiddled with the present in his hand awkwardly. "…just wanted to say Merry Christmas, sir and…yeah." He finished inelegantly, realizing too late that he had nothing else to say.

Remus smiled gently at him and waved him in. "Come, sit, Teddy. Unless you have other plans…?"

Teddy quickly shook his head. "No, no, sir." He took the seat that was already by Remus' bedside. He figured it was his godfather that had placed it there when he had visited. He placed the gift in his lap before realizing it was meant for his professor. "Oh, umm…I hope this isn't too forward of me or anything, but I got you something, sir." He handed the gift over.

"Thank you, Teddy. If it is to forward, I do not mind. But I see nothing wrong with two people exchanging gifts." Remus commented softly.

Teddy snapped his head up. "Exchange?"

Remus pointed to the dresser at the end of his bed. "Bottom drawer."

Teddy stared at the dresser for a second, barely believing that his father actually got him a Christmas gift. He didn't care what his father got him, he realized. Whatever it was, he would surely treasure it forever. He glanced back at the professor, hopefully, and Remus nodded, giving him his permission.

Teddy smiled shyly and headed for the dresser. He knelt down and opened the bottom drawer. There were a few odds and ends inside the drawer, a book here and a note pad there. There was a small pile of chocolate bars in the corner, but the thing that grabbed Teddy's attention was the wrapped object sitting on the top of everything. Teddy reached for it and pulled it out. It was a book, he guessed. It was in the shape of a book, but what book? He smiled and ran his hand down the smooth top of the gift. Was it sad of him to want to keep even the snowman wrapping paper? Knowing Remus couldn't see him over the back of the dresser, Teddy took this moment to hug the gift close to his chest and let a few tears fall. This would be his first and last gift from his father. He was going to treasure every second of it.

"Everything alright over there, Teddy?" Remus called out. "Did you find the present?"

Teddy nodded as he wiped the tears away with his sleeve. Remembering his father couldn't see him, he quickly called out, "Yeah, yeah, sir." He pushed the drawer back in and made his way back to his seat. He stared at the gift in his lap wondering what to do now. Should he just open the gift right here, right now? Should he wait for his father to open his first? Should he thank his father for the gift before opening, knowing he would anyway after he opened it?

"Why don't you open your Christmas present first, Teddy?" Remus said, taking the decision out of Teddy's hands.

Teddy glanced up, half wanting to do what he said and half wanting him to open his first. He finally let the childish impulse overcome him and he gave his father an excited, grateful smile.

Remus smiled gently at him before turning his gentle smile into a mischievous grin. "Tear it open, cub." His face suddenly froze like he had let something slip. He stared straight ahead for a second before giving Teddy a shaky smile. "Well, what are you waiting for, Teddy? Open it."

Teddy didn't even hesitate. He tore the snowman paper off to see the hidden treasure underneath. He gasped when he saw a book lying in the shredded wrapping paper on his lap. "Muggle Fairy Tales: Are They Possible? The Facts and Fiction about Common Muggle Tales." Teddy read the cover. His eyes widened with recognition. He looked up with surprised eyes. "Is this…?"

Remus nodded. "I know it's not new, but it seemed like you wanted to read it before." He said. "Now, it belongs to you."

Teddy glanced at the book again and smiled. On the train ride to Hogwarts, Remus had offered to give Teddy a book on muggle fairy tales to pass the time, but Teddy had turned down the offer. This was that book. He would treasure this book forever. He looked up with a huge smile. "Thank you, sir! Thank you very much!"

"You're very welcome, Teddy." He gave him a gentle smile. "Now, it seems that it's my turn." He gazed down at his gift and started to peel open the red wrapping paper. He was much neater then Teddy and took, what seemed to be to Teddy, twice as long. Inside the wrapping paper was a medium size square box. Teddy clinched his new book to him in anticipation, wondering if his father would think his gift was stupid. He took the lid off the box and gently pulled out the wooden hand-carved she-wolf suckling two young boys.

"It's from the Roman myth of the creation of Rome." Teddy said, unnecessarily. No doubt Remus knew of the Roman myth about Romulus and Remus. He wouldn't put it pass his friends making fun of him because of it, especially since Romulus killed Remus in the myth.

He watched as Remus explored the carved figure with his hands. He glanced at Teddy with wide eyes. "Did you hand-carve this yourself?"

Teddy face flushed with embarrassment and nodded. "I have an uncle who trains with dragons and he would carve objects out with his knife when there was free time. He was no expert and neither am I. I had to use my wand for the smaller details."

"This incredible, Teddy." He praised. "You have talent. Thank very much for sharing this with me. I'm impressed."

Teddy glowed under the compliments. To hear such positive feedback from a figure he looked up to made him feel overly proud with himself.

Teddy glanced over and saw the very small number of presents sitting in the corner of the room. All but one of the gifts was opened; their wrappers still cluttered the floor. There was a box of candy and a pair of odd looking twinkling socks, but many of the gifts were books and Teddy smiled inwardly at the familiar scene. That was what most people got him as well; books. "Sir, it looks like you still have an unwrapped gift." Teddy pointed out the poorly wrapped present. It looked like it was hastily wrapped with newspaper and muggle scotch tape.

Remus glanced at the present and nodded tightly. "I know, Teddy. It's from someone that I…" He paused in thought. "…am no longer friends with. I don't care to see what's inside." His eyes flicked back to the gift and Teddy knew he was just as curious as he was, but just didn't want to admit it.

Teddy nodded in acceptance. It must have been from Sirius. He got Harry something. It made sense that he would get Remus something as well. Teddy couldn't help be curious what it contained.

"If you're curious, you may go ahead and open it for me." Remus said with a small smile when he caught Teddy staring at it with mild curiosity.

Teddy shook his head. "It wouldn't be right, sir."

"I'm giving you permission. It's alright. It's safe. I already checked it for curses and jinxes."

"You think your old friend will try and kill you?" Teddy asked. Should he put a seed of doubt in Sirius's conviction? Teddy knew he would be able to keep Remus talking about him and it would be easy to place a small seed of doubt, but was it right? Remus came to believe Sirius on his own and they couldn't change too much. Getting Remus to suspect his friend to be innocent before the night Sirius had them cornered in the Shack, could be deadly to the timeline. They might have a better chance at catching Peter and completely change history. No matter how much Teddy wanted to place that doubt in Remus, he knew he couldn't.

"I wouldn't put it pass him." He chuckled as if he was just joking, but Teddy could see right pass it. Remus believed Sirius killed James, Lily, and Peter and tried to have Harry killed, he expected Sirius to come after him just as much as Harry. Was that how Professor Dumbledore got the School Board to allow him to teach the students? Not only did Remus know more about Sirius than anyone else, but his life might be in danger just as much as Harry's.

Teddy let his curiosity over run him and he got up, placing the book on his seat, and walked over to the present. "You sure you don't mind, Professor?" He asked one last time.

Remus shook his head. "No, Teddy. I don't mind."

"Okay." Teddy said as he knelt down by the present. He carefully tore the paper off to reveal what was underneath. It was a framed pledge of some sort with three names at the bottom. It was written in red and looked too much like blood for his comfort. The writing on the pledge was neat, almost like a girl's hand. A loose sheet of paper fell on the ground and he bent to pick it up. He walked back over to his chair and sat down. He looked up and saw Remus staring at the framed pledge in his hand with an unknown emotion. His face was stilled and Teddy knew he recognized it. "This letter came with it, sir." He said holding up the letter. "You want to read it?"

Remus started at it for a moment and shook his head. "You read it. I don't think I can." He voice was full of emotion as he took the frame pledge from Teddy's hand. He gazed at it, his eyes dazed in some distant memory.

Teddy opened the letter and read out loud:

Moony,

You remember this pledge? When we wrote it…well, when you wrote it (you always did have the best handwriting)? It was back in fifth year. Peter wasn't there because he had a detention. We were going to let him sign it when he got back, but then he was cornered by three Slytherin's and ended up in the Infirmary. I threw the pledge into my bag and we forgot all about it. Peter never did sign it. It ended up at my parent's house and I had left it there when I ran away. I went back there not too long ago and found it in the attic with some of my other teenage stuff (I'm surprised my mother didn't burn all of my stuff). I'm not going to go back there, so, sending aurors there to catch me won't work.

We wrote and signed it in our blood. Looking at my hand, I can still see the scar, however faint. We did it to show our sincerity and seriousness of the situation. We promised never to betray each other or use each other wrongly. We promised to remain friends forever and to always be a family. We promised to always be there for each other. You remember? You, James, Lily, and Harry were my family, Remus. Why would I destroy everything I had for a monster? Why would I go against the very thing we promised each other we wouldn't do? I'm innocent. I was never given a trial. I was never able to speak up and say who really was responsible for their deaths. I was never given the chance to explain. I would never go back on the pledge we made. I would never go back on my word. Give me the chance that was denied to me, Remus. Let me explain before I go mad with revenge against the one that wronged me, you, and, most of all, Harry. Meet me by the Shack in a week after nightfall. Come alone. Please.

Padfoot

Teddy looked up from the letter. "You planning on going to meet him, sir?" He asked curious and a bit nervous. Did he mess up the timeline a lot by reading the letter and opening the present? Was Remus not supposed to see the contents of the gift? Would he go meet Sirius and realize he was innocent now, completely screwing up history?

Remus stared at the letter for a moment before shaking his head. "No." Teddy couldn't tell if that strained answer meant he was trying to convince himself he wasn't going or if he was feeling emotional over the letter and pledge. He hoped he didn't screw up time. He would need to tell his godfather about this. Remus took the letter from Teddy and placed both the letter and the framed pledge into his nightstand drawer.

After a moment of silence Remus asked him what else he got for Christmas, his attempt at forgetting Sirius gift no doubt, and they started to talk about random things, but Teddy didn't mind if some of the topics where pointless. He was just glad he was able to talk to his father at all.